Words With Italian Origins

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255 Words

1 Alberto A male given name used in Italian and Spanish, equivalent to English Albert.
2 Aldo A male given name of Italian origin.
3 Alessandra A female given name from Italian, equivalent to Alexandra.
4 Alessandro A male given name from Italian, equivalent to Alexander.
5 alfa A Muslim religious teacher or cleric in parts of West Africa.
6 Alfonso A male given name of Germanic origin, common in Spanish- and Italian-speaking cultures.
7 Allegra A female given name and surname of Italian origin, meaning "cheerful".
8 allegro A musical tempo marking meaning fast and lively, or a passage played at that speed.
9 alto A singing voice or vocal part that sits between tenor and soprano.
10 amaro A bittersweet Italian herbal liqueur, typically drunk after a meal to aid digestion.
11 ambassador A diplomat of the highest rank sent by one country to represent it in another.
12 americano A coffee made by diluting a shot of espresso with hot water.
13 archipelago A group or chain of many islands scattered across a stretch of water.
14 arrivederci An Italian way of saying goodbye, used in English to mean "see you again" or "until we meet."
15 arsenal A place where weapons and ammunition are made, stored, or repaired.
16 artichoke A thistle-like plant whose unopened flower bud is eaten as a vegetable.
17 arugula A peppery salad green, also called rocket, with a distinctive sharp, slightly bitter flavor.
18 ballot A paper or card used to cast a vote, or the act of voting itself.
19 baloney Nonsense; foolish or dishonest talk.
20 Bambi A young deer, especially a fawn (from the famous cartoon character).
21 bambino A baby or young child, especially in art depicting the infant Christ.
22 bandit An armed robber, especially one operating with a gang in a remote or lawless area.
23 bank A financial institution that holds deposits, lends money, and manages other financial services.
24 bankrupt Legally unable to pay one's debts.
25 banquet A large, formal meal held to celebrate a special occasion.
26 barista Someone who prepares and serves coffee drinks in a café or coffee shop.
27 basta Enough!; stop! — used to demand that something end.
28 bazaar A marketplace made up of many small shops or stalls, especially in the Middle East or South Asia.
29 Bella A female given name, from Italian, often short for Isabella or Arabella.
30 belladonna A poisonous plant with purple, bell-shaped flowers and glossy black berries, also called deadly nightshade.
31 bello A term of affection for a young man; sweetheart.
32 belvedere A raised structure, tower, or gallery built to enjoy a scenic view.
33 Bianca A feminine given name of Italian origin, meaning "white," equivalent to the English name Blanche.
34 bimbo A disparaging term for an attractive but unintelligent person, usually a woman.
35 biscotti A hard, twice-baked biscuit, usually flavoured with nuts, often served with coffee.
36 bolognese An Italian meat-and-tomato sauce, typically served with pasta.
37 Bonaparte A Corsican surname, most famously borne by Napoleon Bonaparte, emperor of France.
38 Borgia An Italian surname, famously borne by the House of Borgia, a powerful Renaissance family.
39 Botticelli A guessing game in which players try to identify a famous person, having been told only the first letter of th...
40 brava A shout of approval or praise directed at a female performer.
41 brave Willing to face danger, pain, or difficulty without giving in to fear.
42 bravo Used to express approval or praise, especially for a performer.
43 brig A sailing ship with two masts, both square-rigged.
44 buffoon Someone who acts in a silly, clownish way, or who behaves so foolishly that it's almost comical.
45 Bugatti A car made by the French luxury automaker Bugatti, known for high-performance sports and hypercars.
46 Cairo The capital and largest city of Egypt.
47 calzone A baked, folded-over pizza turnover filled with cheese, tomato sauce, and other toppings.
48 cameo A brief appearance by a well-known performer in a film, show, or song, often playing a minor role or themselve...
49 Camorra A secretive organized-crime network based in Naples, Italy, comparable to the Sicilian Mafia.
50 cannoli A Sicilian pastry consisting of a fried tube shell filled with sweetened ricotta or a similar cream.
51 cantaloupe A type of muskmelon with sweet orange flesh and a rough, netted or ribbed rind.
52 cantina A small bar or saloon, especially one found in Latin American countries.
53 canto One of the main sections into which a long poem is divided.
54 capo A clamp placed across a guitar's fingerboard to raise the pitch of all the strings at once.
55 cappuccino An Italian coffee drink made from espresso topped with steamed and frothed milk.
56 capricious Changing mood or behavior suddenly and unpredictably, without an obvious reason.
57 Capulet A member of one side of a bitter, long-running feud between two families or factions, drawing on the Capulets...
58 Cara A female given name.
59 carbonara An Italian pasta dish made with egg, cured pork, cheese, and pepper.
60 carpaccio A dish of very thinly sliced raw meat or fish, typically served cold as an appetizer.
61 Carta An Italian and Spanish surname, an occupational name for a notary or document-writer.
62 Cassini An Italian surname, notably borne by the astronomer Giovanni Domenico Cassini.
63 Catania A port city on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.
64 cello A large, deep-toned stringed instrument played upright with a bow, held between the knees.
65 cesspool An underground pit that collects and holds sewage or wastewater.
66 ciao An informal greeting or farewell, meaning both "hello" and "goodbye".
67 clarinet A single-reed woodwind instrument with a smooth, rich tone that varies across its low, middle, and high regist...
68 concerto A piece of orchestral music that features one or more solo instruments.
69 condom A thin protective sheath, usually latex, worn during sex to prevent pregnancy and the spread of sexually trans...
70 confetti Small pieces of colored paper thrown at celebrations such as weddings and parades.
71 contessa An Italian countess.
72 crescendo A gradual increase in intensity, loudness, or excitement, often building to a peak.
73 dado The lower part of an interior wall when it is decorated or finished differently from the wall above.
74 Dante A male given name, popularized in tribute to the medieval Italian poet Dante Alighieri, author of the Divine C...
75 Deluca A surname of Italian origin, an anglicized form of "De Luca".
76 Demarco A surname of Italian origin, a variant spelling of "De Marco".
77 dilettante Someone who dabbles in a subject or art out of casual interest rather than serious commitment.
78 dispatch To send something or someone off promptly for a specific purpose.
79 dolce A soft, mellow-toned organ stop used to give a gentle, muted quality to the sound.
80 doozy (informal) Something remarkable, often because it's especially difficult, surprising, or impressive.
81 Drago An Italian surname.
82 duet A piece of music performed by two singers or instrumentalists.
83 Elena A female given name, common in Italian, Spanish, and other European languages, related to the English name Hel...
84 Esposito An Italian surname historically given to foundlings, from a word meaning "exposed" or "abandoned."
85 espresso A strong, concentrated coffee made by forcing hot water through finely ground beans under high pressure.
86 extravaganza A big, elaborate, and often spectacular show or event.
87 Fallopian Relating to the fallopian tubes, the pair of tubes in the female reproductive system that carry eggs from the...
88 falsetto A high-pitched singing voice produced above a person's normal vocal range, especially in men.
89 fascism A far-right, authoritarian, and intensely nationalist political system marked by centralized dictatorial power...
90 Ferrara An Andrea Ferrara sword; (generally) a broadsword.
91 Ferrari A surname from Italian.
92 feta A crumbly white cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk, originally from Greece.
93 fiasco A complete and often embarrassing failure.
94 Fibonacci Relating to the Fibonacci sequence, in which each number is the sum of the two before it.
95 flu A common contagious viral illness causing fever, aches, and fatigue; short for influenza.
96 fra A title placed before the name of a Roman Catholic friar or monk, similar to "Brother."
97 Fredo A male first name of Italian origin.
98 fresco A painting made by applying pigment onto wet plaster, so the colour becomes part of the wall as it dries.
99 frittata An Italian-style open-faced omelette made by mixing ingredients like vegetables or cheese directly into the eg...
100 Gabriele A male given name used in Italian, equivalent to the English name Gabriel.
101 Gabriella A female given name, the Italian feminine form of Gabriel.
102 galleria A covered shopping arcade or indoor space lined with stores.
103 Gallipoli A peninsula in Turkey where a major, costly Allied campaign was fought during World War I.
104 Gallo A minority Romance language spoken in northwestern France, alongside Breton.
105 gam A person's leg, especially a shapely one — a dated, informal usage.
106 gambit In chess, an opening move where a player deliberately gives up a pawn or piece to gain a stronger position.
107 garibaldi A flat biscuit made of currants pressed between two thin layers of pastry.
108 generalissimo The supreme commander of a country's armed forces, especially one who also runs the government.
109 Genghis Used to refer to Genghis Khan, the 13th-century founder and first ruler of the Mongol Empire.
110 Genovese Relating to Genoa or its people.
111 Geppetto The fictional woodcarver in Carlo Collodi's story who creates the puppet Pinocchio.
112 geronimo A shout made just before leaping — off a diving board, out of a plane, into water — popularised by paratrooper...
113 gina A crude slang shortening of "vagina".
114 gino Slang, often mildly mocking, for a man of Italian or Mediterranean background seen as flashy or image-obsessed...
115 gnocchi Small, soft dumplings made from potato or semolina, typically served with a sauce.
116 gondola A long, narrow boat with a raised prow, traditionally rowed with a single oar, famously used on the canals of...
117 gonzo Describing a highly subjective, exaggerated style of journalism where the reporter becomes part of the story.
118 grande Describing a mid-sized coffee-shop drink, larger than a "tall" but smaller than a "venti," typically around 16...
119 granola A breakfast food made of rolled oats, nuts, and dried fruit, often baked until crunchy.
120 grappa A strong Italian brandy distilled from the leftover skins, seeds, and stems of pressed grapes.
121 Grimaldi An Italian surname, and the name of the ruling family of Monaco.
122 grotesque Strange, distorted, or unnatural, often in a disturbing or ugly way.
123 Gucci A luxury Italian fashion brand, or an item made by it.
124 Guido A male given name of Italian origin, corresponding to the English name Guy.
125 hoagie A large sandwich made on a long roll, packed with meats, cheese, and vegetables.
126 iggy To ignore or block someone on a chat program or social platform.
127 impresario A person who organises and manages public entertainment, especially concerts, opera, or theatre.
128 julio A small silver coin once minted in Italy, first issued under Pope Julius II in the early 1500s.
129 Lamborghini A high-performance sports car made by the Italian manufacturer Lamborghini.
130 Lancia A car made by the Italian manufacturer Lancia.
131 latte A coffee drink made with espresso and steamed milk, usually topped with a little foam.
132 Leonora A feminine given name of Italian origin, a short form of Eleonora, cognate to Eleanor.
133 Lisi An Italian surname.
134 Lodi A province and city in Lombardy, Italy; also the name of several towns in the United States, including in Cali...
135 Lombardi An Italian surname, most famously associated with American football coach Vince Lombardi.
136 Lorena A female given name from Italian, popularly associated with Laura through folk etymology.
137 lotto A number-drawing lottery game, or a bingo-like game played with numbered cards.
138 Lucca A province and city in Tuscany, Italy.
139 Luigi A male given name, the Italian equivalent of Louis.
140 Lupo An Italian surname meaning "wolf."
141 macaroni (historical) Fashionable or stylish in an exaggerated, foppish way, especially describing 18th-century dandies...
142 Machiavelli A person who schemes and manipulates others cunningly and without moral scruple, in order to gain or hold powe...
143 Machiavellian Willing to use cunning, deception, or ruthless scheming to achieve power or goals, especially in politics.
144 Madonna An artistic depiction of the Virgin Mary, especially shown holding the infant Jesus.
145 Mafia An organized crime syndicate built on secrecy, hierarchy, and intimidation, especially (capitalized) the Sicil...
146 Mafioso A member of the Mafia.
147 magnifico A historical title for a nobleman or grandee of the old Republic of Venice.
148 malaria A serious disease spread by mosquitoes, caused by a parasite that infects the blood and produces recurring fev...
149 Mancini An Italian surname.
150 Mancuso An Italian surname.
151 Mantua A loose, elegant gown worn by women in 17th- and 18th-century Europe.
152 Marconi To send a message by radio.
153 Margherita A pizza topped simply with tomato, mozzarella, and basil.
154 Marianna A female given name of Italian origin.
155 marinara Made with a simple tomato-based sauce.
156 mascara A cosmetic applied to darken and thicken the eyelashes.
157 Maserati An Italian luxury sports car manufacturer.
158 Matterhorn A task, obstacle, or challenge so daunting it feels almost impossible to overcome.
159 Medici A powerful Florentine family that dominated the politics, banking, and art patronage of Italy from the 1300s t...
160 Michelangelo An Italian Renaissance sculptor, painter, and architect (1475-1564), famed for the Sistine Chapel ceiling and...
161 Milanese Belonging to, or characteristic of, the city of Milan in northern Italy.
162 morello A variety of dark-skinned, tart cherry often used in cooking and preserves.
163 morra A hand game in which players simultaneously throw out a number of fingers and try to guess the total shown by...
164 mosque A building used by Muslims for worship, typically featuring a minaret.
165 Motta A surname of Italian origin.
166 mozzarella A soft, mild Italian cheese, often used on pizza or in salads.
167 Mussolini Relating to or characteristic of Benito Mussolini, the Italian fascist dictator, or his authoritarian style of...
168 nanna An informal, chiefly British word for grandmother.
169 Nanni A surname of Italian origin.
170 neutrino A tiny subatomic particle with almost no mass and no electric charge that barely interacts with matter.
171 ninny A foolish or silly person.
172 nonna A grandmother, especially one of Italian heritage.
173 Nutella A brand of chocolate and hazelnut spread.
174 omi A man (informal/slang term, historically used in Polari and some British underworld slang).
175 opera A theatrical work in which the story is told mainly through singing, with orchestral music.
176 operetta A short, light opera with a comic or romantic story and spoken dialogue between musical numbers.
177 ouzo A clear, anise-flavoured Greek liqueur, usually drunk as an aperitif.
178 Oz Abbreviation for ounce, a small unit of weight.
179 Paganini One of a stack of blocks used to raise the height of a person, chair, or piece of equipment.
180 panini A grilled sandwich made from a small loaf of bread, split and filled with ingredients such as ham or cheese.
181 pants An outer garment covering the body from the waist down, with separate legs; trousers.
182 Paolo An Italian male given name, equivalent to the English "Paul."
183 paparazzo A freelance photographer who trails celebrities to capture candid, often unwanted photos for sale to the media...
184 paragon A person or thing regarded as a perfect example of a quality.
185 parapet A low protective wall along the edge of a roof, bridge, or balcony.
186 parma A dish of meat or vegetables cooked in the parmigiana style, coated in tomato sauce and cheese.
187 partisan A strong, often unquestioning supporter of a party, cause, or leader.
188 Pasquale A surname of Italian origin, sometimes used as a given name.
189 pepperoni A spicy, cured sausage of Italian-American origin, made from pork and beef.
190 piano A large keyboard instrument in which pressing keys causes hammers to strike strings, producing sound.
191 piazza An open public square, especially one found in an Italian town or city.
192 piccolo A small flute pitched about an octave higher than the standard concert flute.
193 Piedmont A stretch of gently sloping land lying at the base of a mountain range.
194 pizzeria A restaurant that specializes in making and selling pizza.
195 porcelain A hard, translucent white ceramic made by firing fine clay at high heat, or objects made from it.
196 presto A musical direction meaning very fast; also used to mean something happens suddenly, as if by magic.
197 primo Informal: top-quality; the best.
198 provolone A firm, pale yellow Italian cheese made from cow's milk, often smoked or aged.
199 quarantine A period of enforced isolation imposed on people, animals, or goods to stop a disease from spreading.
200 quartet A group of four musicians performing together, or a piece of music written for four parts.
201 Raffaele An Italian surname.
202 Raina A female given name, and also a surname especially common in Kashmir.
203 Rana A surname of Hindi, Italian, Spanish, or Galician origin; also a municipality in Norway.
204 regatta An organized event of boat races.
205 ricotta A soft, mild Italian cheese made from whey, similar in texture to cottage cheese.
206 Rina A feminine given name, often used as a short form of names ending in "-rina" such as Katrina or Marina.
207 Rinaldi An Italian surname.
208 Rinaldo An Italian surname, also used as a masculine given name.
209 risotto A creamy Italian rice dish made by slowly stirring hot stock into short-grain rice, often with cheese, wine, o...
210 Rita A feminine given name, originally a shortening of Margherita or Margarita, cognates of Margaret.
211 riva A crack, split, or narrow gap in rock or land.
212 rocket A vehicle or projectile driven by expelling burning gas, used to launch spacecraft, missiles, or fireworks.
213 romano A hard, sharply flavored Italian cheese, usually grated over pasta or salads.
214 Rosina A feminine given name of Italian origin, a pet form of Rosa.
215 Savino An Italian surname.
216 scampi Large prawns or langoustines, especially served breaded and fried.
217 scenario A possible sequence of events that might happen.
218 sedan A car with a separate boot and a fixed roof, seating passengers in an enclosed cabin.
219 segue To move smoothly from one topic, activity, or piece of music into another without an abrupt break.
220 sienna A reddish-brown pigment made from natural clay containing iron and manganese.
221 signora An Italian title of respect for a married or older woman, equivalent to "Mrs" or "madam".
222 signorina An Italian title of respect for an unmarried woman or young girl, equivalent to "Miss".
223 soda A sweet carbonated soft drink.
224 spaghetti Long, thin strands of pasta, or a dish made from them.
225 sprocket A toothed wheel that meshes with a chain or perforated belt to drive it.
226 squadron A military unit, especially in the air force or navy, made up of several smaller groups.
227 Stradivarius A violin or other stringed instrument crafted by the Stradivari family, especially the master luthier Antonio...
228 sultana A pale, seedless raisin made from a specific type of grape.
229 tantamount Equal in effect or seriousness to something else, even if not literally the same.
230 Tarantino A person from Taranto, a city in southern Italy.
231 tarantula A large, hairy spider found mainly in the tropics and warmer regions of the Americas.
232 tariff A tax charged by a government on goods coming into or leaving a country.
233 terracotta A hard, reddish-brown unglazed clay used for pottery, tiles, and building decoration.
234 tiramisu An Italian dessert made of coffee-soaked ladyfinger biscuits layered with a sweetened mascarpone cream, dusted...
235 Tolliver An English surname.
236 toma A semi-hard Italian cheese made in Piedmont.
237 tortellini Small ring-shaped pasta parcels stuffed with meat, cheese, or vegetables, usually served in broth or with a sa...
238 totalitarian Describing a system of government in which the state has total control over public and private life, and oppos...
239 trampoline A device made of tough fabric stretched over a frame with springs, used for bouncing.
240 trio A group of three people or things.
241 trombone A brass instrument with a sliding tube used to change pitch.
242 turban A headdress made by winding a long strip of cloth around the head.
243 Valentino A strikingly handsome, romantic-looking man, especially one who resembles the silent-film star Rudolph Valenti...
244 Versace The Italian luxury fashion house founded by designer Gianni Versace.
245 Vespa An Italian brand of motor scooter, known for its rounded, retro design.
246 vibrato (music) A slight, rapid wavering in pitch used to add expression to a sung or played note.
247 vino Wine, used informally.
248 violin A small four-stringed instrument played with a bow, held under the chin, the highest-pitched of the standard s...
249 vista A long, open view, especially one seen through a gap or down a passage.
250 viva Used to cheer or celebrate someone or something, meaning roughly "long live!"
251 volcano An opening in the Earth's surface, usually on a mountain, through which molten rock, ash, and gas escape from...
252 volt The standard unit of electrical potential, measuring the "push" that drives an electric current.
253 volta In poetry, especially a sonnet, the turning point where the argument or mood shifts.
254 zany Wildly comic, eccentric, or amusingly outlandish in behavior or style.
255 zucchini A long green summer squash with edible flesh and skin, known as a courgette in British English.